Low cost, high volume wireless communication solutions are needed to provide wireless connectivity in a variety of applications. For example, short-range wireless communications make use of Bluetooth communication components. Although such components were originally developed as multiple integrated circuit “chip sets”, several “single chip” Bluetooth solutions have been introduced to the market by various vendors. For longer-range wireless communications, chip sets implementing the so-called Wi-Fi or IEEE 802.11b communication protocol are available. Newer IEEE 802.11a and IEEE 802.11g solutions have also recently come to market. Most, if not all, of these integrated circuits (ICs) make use of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) materials and fabrication technology in order to keep the cost of the ICs to a minimum,
Although there has been much growth in the wireless communication market in recent years, to date no single IC has been made available that combines facilities for video, audio and data transmissions over the unlicensed radio spectrum bands allowed by regulatory authorities. Nevertheless, such ICs are needed for allowing manufacturers of audio/video equipment and the like to further reduce the costs associated with wireless communication to/from such devices. Accordingly, there exists a need for such an IC, which need is addressed by the present invention.